Chapter 4
The wind cut through the unfinished third floor.
I was beside the full-scale facade mock-up, reviewing limestone joints with the contractor.
Just after ten, Charlotte arrived with Adrian.
I noticed her shoes immediately.
Clean ankle boots.
No safety footwear.
"You can't go in there."
Charlotte smiled.
"I'm only looking."
"Stay behind the yellow line. The floor beyond it isn't finished."
"Of course."
I turned back to the contractor.
Less than five minutes later, I heard footsteps behind me.
"Evelyn."
I turned.
Charlotte was already across the line.
"Stop."
She kept moving.
"Charlotte, go back!"
She looked at me.
Then past my shoulder.
Adrian was near the elevator.
Charlotte took another step.
Her heel caught the raised edge of a protection board.
She went down with a sharp cry.
Adrian reached her first.
"Charlotte!"
She sat on the floor, one hand around her ankle.
"I'm okay."
Her voice trembled.
"Please don't make a scene."
She tried to stand, winced, and collapsed against Adrian.
I still had the tape measure in my hand.
"I told you not to go in there."
Charlotte looked up, eyes wet.
"I thought you wanted me to follow you."
I stared at her.
"I told you to go back."
The contractor finally spoke.
"Ms. Hart did warn her. Twice."
Adrian turned sharply.
"Did I ask you?"
The man's face stiffened.
"No, sir."
"Then stay out of it."
I stared at Adrian.
"You heard me."
"I heard you shouting at her."
"Because she walked into an unsafe area."
Charlotte touched his sleeve.
"Adrian, don't. It was probably just a misunderstanding."
There it was again.
She was defending me as if I had already done something wrong.
I stepped closer.
"Stop pretending. You looked at him before you crossed the line."
Charlotte's face went white.
Adrian's expression darkened.
"Enough."
"No."
My voice finally broke loose.
"She isn't wearing safety shoes. She wasn't cleared for the site. I warned her twice, and now you're trying to make this my fault?"
Workers had stopped around us.
Adrian looked at them.
Then at me.
"Apologize."
"Absolutely not."
"Evelyn."
"I will not apologize because she ignored a safety instruction."
Charlotte spoke softly.
"Please, Adrian. She's upset."
She's upset.
Not Charlotte broke the rule.
I was emotional.
I opened my mouth.
Adrian shouted first.
"Get out."
The entire floor went silent.
I stared at him.
"What?"
"I said get out."
He pointed toward the construction elevator.
"Now."
"This is my project."
"Not while you're acting like this."
Something slammed into my chest.
"You're throwing me off my own project for her?"
Adrian turned away.
"Security!"
Two site security officers came quickly from the stairwell.
Both hesitated when they saw me.
One knew me.
"Ms. Hart?"
I stepped back.
"Don't touch me."
Adrian pointed toward the elevator.
"Remove her."
Neither man moved.
Adrian's voice cracked across the floor.
"Now!"
One guard grabbed my left arm.
The other took my right.
I jerked against them.
"Let go of me!"
"Then walk!" Adrian shouted.
I tore one arm free.
"I can walk."
He stood beside Charlotte, his face almost unrecognizable.
"Then get the hell off my site."
My breath stopped.
My project.
And in front of the entire construction team, he had called it his site.
I pulled off my hard hat. My hands shook badly enough that the strap struck the shell twice.
The guards walked on either side of me toward the construction elevator.
Dozens of people watched from behind scaffolding, drawings, and the mock-up wall.
No one spoke.
Just before the doors closed, I looked back.
Charlotte was still leaning against Adrian.
One hand rested on his arm.
She looked directly at me.
The tears were gone.
Security escorted me through the turnstile on the ground floor.
I turned and scanned my badge.
A red light flashed.
[ACCESS DENIED]
I tried again.
Red.
The guard behind the desk looked at his screen, then at me.
Embarrassment crossed his face.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Hart."
He handed my hard hat across the counter.
"Mr. Vale says you're not to be readmitted without his authorization."